Progressive House DJ and Producer Mateo Paz has been absolutely dominating the scene at the moment with a string of successful releases.
This year includes a top 10 Hype chart placing track with his remix of Deng & Slavak’s ‘Lunar Path’ and a nationally broadcasted radio show titled ‘Gain’ climbing the ranks, it’s clear he is already set for a bigger 2019! Mateo provides some top tips for budding producers.
T.H.E – What software is best to use for beginners?
Mateo Paz – I recently saw an answer to this question and I completely agree – The best DAW is the one where you can work fast and effective. Personally, I use Ableton Live for sampling and recording my Gain podcast. For music production, I use Apple Logic.
T.H.E – What are the essentials a budding producer needs to start making music without breaking the bank?
Mateo Paz – You need to start smart; it’s not an easy choice to decide which way to go because there are so many upcoming artists. Besides that, It’s not only money investment, but it’s also your time investment. You need to be patient and push yourself all the time.
T.H.E – Have you got any suggestions for books/YouTube channels people learn from?
Mateo Paz – I like what Splice is currently doing bringing established producers to explain their way of creating tracks that become hits. I would definitely recommend their channel on YouTube.
T.H.E – What is your advice on sampling?
Mateo Paz – Always be aware of copyrights. Try to find a perfect sample you can turn into something modern and then try to clear the rights for use. It’s always a risk not getting an approval, but if you really make something good I’m sure it will be recognized.
T.H.E – Which part of the track should you start with?
Mateo Paz – There are no rules! Start from the part you have ideas for. It’s not wrong to start from the end of the track if you feel that way.
T.H.E – What plugins are best to download first?
Mateo Paz – Serum, Diva, Spire, Massive as instruments and some FX like Fab Filter Bundle, Kickstart, Valhalla DSP, and SPL Bundle. They’re the essentials for me.
T.H.E – Is it important to learn an instrument?
Mateo Paz – It’s good to know basic theory, like recognising chords, their relations and how to play them on the keyboard. The rest is your ear and in some more complicated situations, you can ask a session musician for help.
T.H.E – Do you think its necessary to learn how to mix and master?
Mateo Paz – It’s important to know the basics and get a decent mix. Everything after that is a bonus. If you can’t get it to sound 100% right, leave it to the professionals.
T.H.E – As a DJ, is there anything producers should avoid doing in their tracks that could be annoying for DJ sets?
Mateo Paz – The most annoying thing is an unusual arrangement, but if you are a good DJ you can take a handle on that by looping but the worst and most annoying thing is when the track is great but badly mastered. Sometimes I have to pass playing good tracks in my shows, because of that.
T.H.E – What should a producer do if they’re struggling to find inspiration?
Mateo Paz – Listen to other genres, other composers and artists, or try to not listen to music at all for a while. I can’t say one method helps me all the time, it really depends but I always try all of them.
